Fractured
by PhantomBrat
Summary: What if nobody was searching for Yugi in the right places, or the right way? What if he was found by someone else? Is it too late to help him? Does he even want to be helped?  This is an alternate reality/universe of 'Broken'. And this is that story…
1. Chapter 1

_**What if nobody was searching for Yugi in the right places, or the right way? What if he was found by someone else? Is it too late to help him? Does he even want to be helped?**_

_**This is an alternate reality/universe of 'Broken'. And this is that story…**_

I woke up in the comforting darkness of my room to the sound of someone tapping on my door. I laid in my bed as the door opened, revealing the man who had taken me in when he could have left me in the hospital.

"Your doctor is here to see you, Izzack," he stated.

I nodded since I can't really speak above a whisper most times. My doctor said that it was because I was hurt pretty bad when they found me.

Izzack isn't my real name. Papa isn't my father, but he and Mama have taken me in and are caring for me.

One of the hired nurses helped me dress and sat me in the wheelchair that I was to use. The doctor came in and did his usual routine. This, as was everything else, was done in the dark, or near dark of the room. I can't stand the light. It felt like I was on fire, burning from the inside out, the first time a nurse turned on the lights at the hospital. After that, Papa came into the picture. He took over my care and ordered that no bright lights be used around me.

"Izzack seems well enough to attend school," I heard my doctor tell Papa. "Nell informed me that the placement tests have him placed at grade 12. How are you going to finish his education?"

"He'll go to the closest high school, Domino High. I have informed the school of his condition and they will allow him to wear what he needs to be able to attend. He is to begin today," Papa replied. "Perhaps someone there might be able to help him remember his past."

I was terrified! I hadn't left the darkness of my room in months! How could Papa say that I had to leave my dark room for the torment of bright light? Papa must have noticed my trembling, "Izzack, settle down boy. You'll be fine. I wouldn't allow you to suffer. You'll be fine son."

He handed me a pair of sunglasses and slid thin gloves onto my hands, "Now let's go and meet your student aide."

Papa pushed me towards the dining room.

**Yami**

Yugi had been missing for months, but we weren't giving up on our search for him. Grandpa was tired of my moping around the house on the days I wasn't able to search, so he signed me up to be an aide to a new student the moment he found out about it. According to the assistant principal, this kid, Izzack Garrett, was to be picked up and dropped off daily at his house with no deviations.

A maid left me in the dining room to wait for Izzack and his father. I sat in one of the ornate chairs and read my book until they showed up. I didn't have long to wait.

"Ah, you must be the student aide. I'm Martin Garrett," a tall man with dark hair greeted me as he wheeled a frail-looking boy into the room. "This is Izzack, my son."

"Yami Mutou."

I couldn't help but notice tha t the boy was wearing a black long sleeved shirt, a pair of gloves, black jeans, a light black scarf, and a pair of sunglasses. Mr. Garrett saw me staring, "Izzack's a bit photosensitive. Please keep him indoors as much as possible."

I nodded and, after being handed a list of things to do for Izzack, headed to school. I stuck to the shaded paths as much as I could while pushing Izzack's wheelchair. "So, how old are you," I asked him.

Izzack shrugged, "Dunno, can't remember."

"Anything you like to do?"

Another shrug, "Not really."

"Any games you like to play?"

"Guess chess, but Papa has to tell which pieces are which before play," he sighed.

My friends spotted us from just inside the gate. "Hey Yami," Joey greeted me. "Who's the kid?"

"He's the new student, Izzack Garrett. Izzack, these are a few of my friends; Joey, Tristan, and Tea," I stated. "You'll probably meet the others later."

Izzack nodded, "Ok."

"So what's with the dark clothes," Joey asked him.

Izzack flinched and stuttered, "I can't…Bright light make sick."

We headed for homeroom, Izzack was silent upon our entrance. I assume that he was terrified of the sight of so many new faces. The teacher entered the room and the class went silent, "Welcome back class. We have a new student joining us this year. Izzack Garrett, please raise your hand."

I never imagined that anyone could go as pale as Izzack did, but he was paler than the walls of the classroom! "Hey, teach," I heard a painfully familiar voice call out, "That pipsqueak next to Mutou is wearing clothes that are against the dress code."

She looked over in our direction and smiled, "There you are Izzack. Ushio, please stay after class for your rude behavior."

Ushio glared at us, Izzack in particular.

**Joey**

I saw Ushio glaring at Yami and the new kid. I promised myself to not let Izzack fall victim to his bullying. He looked like one hit would break him. I wrote a note and tossed it to Tristan.

_We gotta look out for the new kid._

He tossed it back.

**Why?**

_Ushio looks ready to seriously hurt him._

He looked over at Ushio.

**I see. We'll have him eat with us at lunch.**

I nodded and crumpled the note before tossing it in my bag. Three classes later, Yami pushed Izzack to the staff elevators and we headed down the stairs to the cafeteria. "So what are you going to get Izzack," I asked him.

Izzack shrugged, "Probably a sandwich or a fruit cup, no strawberries or pineapple, like bananas. Not really hungry."

Yami got Izzack a banana and peeled it for him since he couldn't do it himself. "So where did you move here from," Tea asked him.

Izzack shrugged, "Dunno. Papa got from hospital and took home. Can't remember before that. Some accident, guess." He played with the banana peel before Yami took it from him. "Tired. Go home?"

"Let's check in with the principal first, Izzack," Yami replied. "He might allow it."

We headed for the principal's office and waited for them to come out. Izzack looked upset. "He says that Izzack can't go home early unless I can be excused from class. Meaning that I'd have to stay since you-know-who hates to let students leave her class unless they're sick," Yami sighed. "Sorry Izzack."

Izzack sighed and lifted his sunglasses enough to dry his eyes. "We don't have to be to our next class for fifteen minutes," Tea pointed out. "Anything you want to see before we have to go there?"

"Books," Izzack replied.

We headed to the school library and let him wheel himself around to look at the titles. We sat at the table where we could be spotted by him easily. "So where'd you pick Izzack up at this morning," I asked Yami.

"That old Victorian house about a block from here," he replied.

Tristan paled, "The red one or the blue one?"

"Blue."

"That's where several kids heard someone screaming bloody murder a few months ago," Tristan stated. "They said that that place is cursed!"

I looked around the library and saw that Izzack was missing, his lap blanket the only sign that he had been with us. Yami panicked and we ran out in search of the kid.

Tristan

I headed to the back of the school and heard someone screaming in pain. I called Yami's cell and told him where I was and to get here in case it was Izzack. My fears were confirmed.

Ushio had removed Izzack's gloves, scarf, and sunglasses, "You broke school rules punk."

Izzack was screaming in pain and trying to get out of the light, but Ushio had the brakes on, making it impossible for Izzack to get away. "Make stop…Please…Burns!"

Joey tackled the bully while Yami threw his jacket over Izzack's head and exposed skin. "Tea, go and get the principal and the school nurse," Yami ordered over Izzack's sobbing.

I headed over and helped Joey keep Ushio pinned to the ground. I punched the jerk for good measure before Joey and I sat on his back. "Is he going to be alright," I asked Yami after he got Izzack into the shade, as far from the light as he could.

"I don't know, Tristan," he replied.

I watched as he removed the jacket from Izzack's pale hands. The poor kid's hands were very red. Yami handed Izzack his sunglasses, but when Izzack didn't move to take them, he carefully slid them on his face.

"Izzack, look at me please," Yami requested. He was to the right of the wheelchair.

Izzack looked to the left, "Can't see…Hurt…Burns inside…"

The school nurse and the principal ran to where we were. "Ushio, this is the last straw! As of today, you are no longer allowed to step foot on school grounds," the principal snapped. "We do not tolerate your type of behavior!"

Ushio growled beneath us, "What about that shrimp? He's going against school rules with his clothes!"

"Izzack has a medical condition and you have aggravated it severely," the nurse replied. "The school board has made an exception in his case."

She turned and headed to where Tea had joined Izzack and Yami.

Tea

Poor Izzack. His first day of school here and already he was hurt. Yami was trying to calm him down enough to let the nurse look him over. Unfortunately, Izzack was still upset. Suddenly he stopped crying and slumped over in his chair. The nurse had Yami pull him out of the chair and lay him on the ground with his jacket for a pillow. She took his sunglasses off and looked at his eyes with a dim light, "Thank god. He's just worn himself out. Yami, please carry him to my office. Tea, go ahead of him and turn the lights off in there. I need to wrap his hands and call his father."

We had been excused from the remainder of our classes to avoid any questions about what had happened at lunch. Izzack's dad showed up and saw that he had been hurt. "Izzack, what happened," he asked.

"Bully…bright light…burning…no more…stop…STOP! HURTS!"

He started crying into Mr. Garrett's suit. "Want dark, Papa. Dark safe…Light hurts…Want room…bed…"

"We'll try this another day," Mr. Garrett stated. "Yami, please bring Izzack's homework to the house until then. I'll compensate you for your time. Thank you kids for watching out for him. Feel free to stop by anytime to visit him."

Mr. Garrett carried Izzack out, using the sheet that the nurse loaned him. I hoped that Izzack would be able to get past this incident and come back to school.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Yami: Another Christmas Update on PhantomBrat's list. Enjoy.**_

LINE

**Yami**

Grandpa asked me why I was home from school early and I told him that Ushio finally got booted from school grounds for picking on Izzack. "So what is the new kid at school like," Grandpa questioned.

I shrugged, "Very quiet, he doesn't speak too much or very well, but he gets the point through. He had a run-in with Ushio after lunch. I wouldn't have believed it, but the poor kid's very sensitive to bright lights. His father had to pick him up from school. Was there any news on…"

Grandpa shook his head, "Not today, Yami, not today."

A few days after Ushio's attack on Izzack, I headed for the Garrett place after school let out for the day. I had Izzack's homework and wanted to see if he was alright after the run-in with Ushio. The same maid from the other day answered the door, "Please come in. Mr. Garrett has requested that you be allowed in upon your arrival."

"Is Izzack alright," I asked her.

She hesitated before leaving the room. Mr. Garrett entered in her place moments later, "Marlow said that you were asking about Izzack."

"I was wondering how he's doing," I replied. "Ushio is pretty relentless when it comes to kids weaker than he is."

"I see. Please follow me, but not a sound. Izzack's resting," he stated, leading me through the halls.

He opened the door and allowed me to enter. I had to wait for my eyes to adjust to the dim light as the room was nearly dark. I saw a bed in the middle of the room. He looked so small lying there. Izzack had bandages on his hands and covering his eyes. Pillows propped him up so that he could rest easier. He must have heard the door open because I saw him stir a little. "Papa," a faint voice whispered. "Thirsty…juice?"

"Izzack, you have a visitor. He came from school to see you," Mr. Garrett stated.

Izzack started trembling, "No school…hurt…burn…no go back…stay here…stay dark…dark safe…good…light bad…hurts…"

"Izzack," Mr. Garrett soothed, "You'll not return until you are ready to try again. Until then, I believe that your new friends will bring you your homework."

"Promise…No go back," Izzack whimpered.

Mr. Garrett smiled, "Not until you feel ready to try again."

I knelt next to the bed, "If you like, I could try to come over everyday with the others and visit for a few hours. We could do homework together."

I didn't receive a reply. "He's still tired from the painkillers that the doctor gave him. But he should be somewhat alert in an hour. You may stay here if you like," Mr. Garrett stated. "Perhaps your other friends would like to see Izzack as well. He really needs friends like you kids."

As I was led from the room, a woman swept into the hall. She gave a faint smile as she passed us and her hand brushed Mr. Garrett's hand. She entered Izzack's room and shut the door. I went ahead and called the others.

**Joey**

Yami called me and said that Izzack's father was allowing us to come over to hang out with him for the day. "So how's Izzack doing," I asked him.

I heard Yami sighing over the phone, "He still has to have his eyes covered, but Mr. Garrett says that he'll still be able to see but he still has to wear the bandages for a few days longer."

I told Yami that I'd be there as soon as I could. I wanted to see Izzack and see how he was doing. I met up with the others and Ryou and Bakura just a block from Izzack's place.

"What's he doing here," I asked Ryou.

Bakura glared at me, "I wanted to check out this 'haunted' house. By the way, I heard that the new kid at your school can't stand sunlight. He might be a vampire."

"Be nice," Ryou said as he flicked Bakura's shoulder.

When we got there, we didn't get a chance to knock on the front door. The second we reached the steps, a woman ushered us inside. "Izzack's in his room, but you'll have to be quite careful until your eyes adjust. If you have any flashlights or the like, please leave them on the bookshelf in the hall."

**Bakura**

The hallway we were taken to was nearly dark. "These are Izzack's rooms. Should you stay for dinner, you'll likely eat in the mini-dining room with him," the woman stated as she led us through the dim hall. She opened the door next to her, "Izzack, more of your friends are here to see you."

"Mama? Thirsty…juice please," a faint voice called out from the dark room.

"Of course dear," she replied. "You kids have fun. Please take it easy with Izzack." With that, she left to get the kid his juice.

Joey went into the room and sat next to the kid and lightly ruffled his short hair. Apparently this wasn't appreciated. "No do! No touch hair…no touch…no like," the kid snapped.

I think I'm gonna like hanging around this kid. He looks weak and frail, but I like his temper. "So what are you two doing," Tristan asked Yami.

He looked to a book on the bed, "Reading the homework chapters to Izzack. Mrs. Garrett found a light bright enough to read by, but dim enough that it wouldn't hurt Izzack."

"So what'd you hear so far, Izzy," Wheeler asked him.

The kid looked confused, "Who 'Izzy'?"

"You are," he replied.

"I not 'Izzy'…I Izzack," the kid snapped.

Ryou spoke up, "It's a short form of your name, like Joey is short for 'Joseph',"

"Who you," he asked, tilting his head to the side. "No hear…a'fore."

"Oh, sorry. I'm Ryou."

"Ryou…" Izzack echoed. The bedroom door opened, snatching his attention away from us, "Papa?"

"Yes, Izzack," a man responded.

"Mama…no come…thirsty…want juice…"

The man entered the room, "Actually, Izzack, it's time for your supper."

"Where eat, Papa?"

"We have your dining room set up. You and your friends will eat in there," he replied. We noticed that the kid was shaking. "It's been fixed so that you won't have to worry about bright lights. I'll take your friends there and then come back for you, Izzack."

The boy nodded. As the others left, I stayed behind to watch the kid some more. I reached over to pick up the book that the Pharaoh left on the bed, but before I could touch its cover, a small and bandaged hand grabbed my wrist, "Who you? Tell now or yell." He hesitated, "No yell…you safe…safer than bigmouths…girl bossy…no like her…one called 'Dark' lost…you safe…like you…Friend?"

Great, a kid with mental issues wants to be my friend. Then it hit me, he called Wheeler and Taylor bigmouths and said that Tea was bossy. I think I'm going to enjoy hanging out with the kid. "What name?"

I snapped out of my thoughts, "Bakura."

"Name hard…can call 'Kura? You call…Izzy…Only you."

"Sure kid."

**Izzack**

Kura feels safe. I felt him stay behind as Papa led the others from my room. I knew he was there even while he was silent as my room when Mama and Papa send everyone out for bedtime. He feels like the dark of my room, safe and good. The one called Ryou feels like light, painful. Yami feels almost like Kura, but broken. Like he's missing something.

Kura follows Papa as I am carried into one of my other rooms. I feel Papa set me in a chair. "'Kura sit…by me?"

I feel Kura's presence grow as he heads to the chair closest to me. I smell the soup as it's set before everyone else and the plain chicken strips that are in front of me. I want the soup, but Mama refuses to let me have any when I can't see and have my hands wrapped. "Stop playing with your food and eat it, Izzy," I hear Kura hiss in my ear. I stop tearing at the strip I was holding and bite into it. I feel his hand messing with my short hair, "Good boy."

I growl in irritation and smirk when I hear the ones that Yami calls friends freak out. "What's with the lights," the loudmouth with the funny voice calls out.

I love doing that. It freaked out the mean nurse in the last month or so. She didn't last a day, running out of my rooms screaming about ghosts or something. It served her right. She kept insisting on bringing a flashlight into my rooms, despite Mama and Papa's rules. She was the one that made me burn so she would have been kicked out anyways. Mama and Papa think that the wiring in the house is outdated, but it's me doing it. I'm not spilling my secret anytime soon.

I couldn't eat more than the one strip. I hate my medicine. It always makes me sick when I eat something 'heavy'. Papa takes me back to my room after taking me to the bathroom in case I lose my food. Everyone else was already in there waiting for me. Papa settles me back in my bed, "Please ring the bell if Izzack looks tired. Nell and I don't want him overdoing it today."

**Ryou**

We take turns reading the reading assignment for our literature class, Izzack listening. I can't get the memory of the dim lights flickering in the room while we ate with him. I think that Izzack was smirking, but I'm not really sure. It could have been the effects of the wild lighting.

I noticed that Izzack wasn't picking at his blankets out of boredom. His breathing was relaxed and slowing as if he were falling asleep. I nudged Yami, "Izzack's falling asleep. Mr. Garrett wanted us to ring the bell if he fell asleep."

We rang the bell and Mr. Garrett and a woman, possibly Mrs. Garrett, showed up within minutes. "Thank you kids for visiting today. We'll have Marlow show you out," he stated as the woman gently tended to Izzack. "Please feel free to stop by and visit any time."

**Nell Garrett**

After the group was led from Izzack's room, Martin and I prepared him for bed. I moved the covers aside while Martin removed the braces from Izzack's legs. While my husband covered him back up, I pulled out the breathing mask and monitor. Izzack had a tendency to stop breathing in his sleep. We were assured that this would fix itself as Izzack got stronger. The monitor was to alert us if anything went wrong while he was alone.

When we were done, I looked at Martin, "I want to keep him, Mar. I know that he can't replace Bennie, but I want him."

"Nell, he's probably got family out there looking for him. We can adopt him in a year if nobody comes for him or his memories don't come back," Martin told me. "But until then, we just have to take care of him as best we can. We can adopt if you want."

I smiled weakly at him, "you always know how to make me feel better."

LINE

_**Yami: So what's the backstory for the Garretts?**_

_**Basically, they had a little boy named Bennie. Something happened to him and he died.**_

_**Ryou: That's so sad.**_

_**I know. I can't believe that I did that little plot-twist.**_


End file.
